BGE crews, Red Cross volunteers head to Florida to help with relief efforts

BGE crews, Red Cross volunteers head to Florida to help with relief efforts

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 7:33 AM EDT Sep 11, 2017

Hide TranscriptShow Transcript

WEBVTT SUNDAY MORNING.NAVIGATION SYSTEMS READY.rtWATER LOADED AS DOZENS OFBALTIMORE GAS AND ELECTRICEMPLOYEES START A LONG JOURNEYFROM MARYLAND TO FLORIDA.rt>> BECAUSE IT IS A CONVOY,BECAUSE THEY ARE IN BIG, HEAVYTRUCKS, IT WOULD NOT BE THE WAYrtIT WOULD BE FOR YOU OR I TO GETIN THE CAR AND DRIVE STRAIGHTTHROUGH.THEY WILL PROBABLY BE ABLE TOWAIVE SOME OF THE TOLLS AND THErtTHINGS THAT MIGHT SLOW THE RIDEDOWN. THEIR GOAL IS TO GET THERE ASQUICKLY AND SAFELY AS POSSIBLE.REPORTER: IN TOTAL, 200 BGEEMPLOYEES AND CONTRACTORS AREHEADED SOUTH TO ASSIST WITHRESTORING POWER AFTER HURRICANEIRMA.rtEXELON, THE PARENT COMPANY OFBGE, HAS COMMITTED 1800EMPLOYEES AND CONTRACTORS TORESTORATION SERVICES IN THErtSOUTHEAST. >> THEY ARE WORKING EASILY 12 TO14 HOUR DAYSTHEIR HOTEL, GET UP THE NEXT DAYrtAND DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN.IT IS NONSTOP.REPORTER: MANY FLORIDIANS,rtEVACUATED FROM THEIR HOMESBEFORE IRMA MADE LANDFALL, AREIN SHELTERS.THE DEVASTATION WON'T BEREVEALED UNTIL THE STORM PASSE, BUT THE AMERICrtAN RED CROSSGREATER CHESAPEAKE REGIONALREADY HAS OOTS ON THE GROUND.>> WE HAVE 14 ON THE GROUND NOWTO COMPLEMENT THE 1500 FROMACROSS THE COUNTRY ON THE GROUNDCURRENTLY.rtREPORTER: THEY'RE HELPING RUNSHELTERS.HUNDREDS MORE WILL JOIN THEMONCE AIRLINES RESUME FLIGHTS TOFLORIDA.>> IF SOMEONE HAD TO EVACUATEWITHOUT rtTHEIR MEDICINE OROXYGEN, SOMETHING LIKE THAT,rtTHEIR GLASSES, OUR VOLUNTEERSTAFF CAN GET THAT REPLENISHED.REPORTER: VOLUNTEERS WILL REMAININ FLORIDA FOR AS LONG ASrtTHEY'RE NEEDED.THE RED CROSS IS ALSO ASSISTINGHUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLEIN MORE THAN 500 SHELTERS INSEVERAL STATES, PUERTO RICO ANDTHE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS.LIVE FROM NORTHWEST BALTIMORE,VANESSA HERRING, WBAL TV 11

BGE crews, Red Cross volunteers head to Florida to help with relief efforts

Crews from Baltimore Gas and Electric and the American Red Cross Greater Chesapeake Region are en route to Florida to help with relief efforts and to assist Hurricane Irma victims.

The Red Cross is sending volunteers on two-week deployments. Some from our area made it to Florida before the airlines stopped flights. Local gas and electric workers hit the road Sunday morning.

Advertisement

Dozens of BGE employees started the long journey from Maryland to Florida.

"Because they're in a convoy because they're in big heavy trucks it's not going to be the way it would be for you or I to get in our car and drive straight through. They're probably going to be able to waive some of the things that might slow the ride down. Their goal is to get there as quickly and safely as possible," BGE senior communications manager Linda Foy said.

In total, 200 BGE employees and contractors are headed south to assist with restoring power after Hurricane Irma.

Exelon, the parent company of BGE, has committed 1,800 employees and contractors to restoration services in the southeast.

"They're working easily 12- to 14-hour days. They're going to get their dinner they'll go back to their hotel or wherever they're going to be sleeping and get up the next day and do it all over again so it's nonstop," Foy said.

Many Floridians evacuated from their homes before Irma made landfall and are in shelters. The devastation won't be revealed until the storm passes, but the American Red Cross Greater Chesapeake Region already has boots on the ground.

"We have 14 on the ground now to compliment the 1,500 from across the country that are on the ground currently," Red Cross spokesperson Lenore Koors said.

They're helping run shelters. Hundreds more will join them once airlines resume flights to Florida.

"If someone had to evacuate without their medicines without their oxygen something like that their glasses our volunteer staff can get that replenished for them," Koors said.

Volunteers will remain in Florida for as long as they're needed.

The Red Cross is also assisting victims in other areas, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.